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Saturday, October 1, 2016

Exiting Offscreen

So one of my big personal peeves is when they replace a character or an actor from one movie to another. When an actor has personjal trouble, or they are "set poison" or the just downright don't wanna do it, it disturbs a space in my head, and knocks me off an even keel in an already chaotic world. One thing I value very highly is my mental well being, and I try to treat my mind pretty gently.

Some examples:

Mikaela Banes in the Transformers franchise- She clashed with the director and producers of the movies, prompting her removal between ROTF and DOTM with a weak "she broke up with Sam" story. For that matter, the entire Witwicky family vanished from the franchise after DOTM, as did Seymour Simmons.

The Vanished Henley Reeves- The story in the film was that she got tired of waiting for The Eye and asked to be let out. The real deal is that the actress was pregnant and could not film.

The Lonely Death of Steven Hiller- This is an offscreen death with him dying as a test pilot for the earth defense program. A plausible, but weak story. The real story is that Will Smith, is alive, well, and too pricey for the sequel.

You wouldn't like me when I'm Edward Norton- I prefer Mark Ruffalo, but he and Edward look nothing alike. 'Nuff said

Dumbledore Polyjuices from Harris to Gambon- Again, I like the second actor better. I wish they had cast him in the first two. Nothing against Richard Harris, but I like Michael Gambon's portrayal better

So why am I bringing this up? these exits and changes are all part of life. People Die, People Break Up. Actresses get pregnant, or get sick. Actors die, or their stock goes up and they get expensive.

My problem with this, is that my head-space uses movies to make sense of the world, and make it manageable. when so much is uncontrollable, a movie or a book is a scripted world where things go as they should. When something goes out of control in a movie, it causes a little but significant disruption in my ability to focus on it, and distracts me. I have to satisfy myself beforehand that other aspects of the work are to my liking so I can settle in and enjoy it. It makes me almost not want to see things where this has happened, and did actually stop me from wanting to see Independence Day:Resurgence in theater.